


Dasey: Love Island

by kensington_queen



Category: Life with Derek
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reality Show, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Shameless Smut, The Author Regrets Nothing, dasey: the love island au, reality show drama, the reasons are flimsy but lets just have fun ya'll
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:41:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28055559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kensington_queen/pseuds/kensington_queen
Summary: It's gonna be a long, hot, summer.The Dasey Love Island AU ;)
Relationships: Casey McDonald/Derek Venturi
Comments: 34
Kudos: 30





	1. The Intro

**Author's Note:**

> _You're always on display for everyone to watch and learn from  
>  Don't you know by now?  
> You can't turn back  
> Because this road is all you'll ever have_ \- Paramore, Fences

**The search for true love is not always smooth sailing. But this summer, at one of the most stunning hillside villas in the world, the Spanish summer sun won’t be the only source of heat. We’re filling it with some of Canada’s hottest singles. They’ll have free reign of this magical villa with all the modern and luxurious amenities that any twenty-something could want.**

**There’s the massive communal bedroom - the sheets are top graded for cheeky romps - the five star communal bathroom that any college student would be envious of - an Olympic sized pool to cool off in - daybeds to sun tan and gossip - and of course that’s just what we can cover in this limited intro! To make it to the final and be in the running for the $50,000 prize, our contestants need to remember the golden rule of this paradise: You’ve got to couple up, or pack up and go….**

**Welcome to Love Island.**

**Now let’s meet our first islander.**

+

Casey, 21. London, Ontario.

\- One time professional dancer  
\- Once helped Lea Michele with a wardrobe malfunction  
\- “Color coding makes the world a smoother place”

_"Hi, I’m Casey. I’m 21 and from London, Ontario,” Casey beamed for the camera as pictures from her social media flashed on the screen behind her. “My last relationship ended when the guy I was seeing told me I had impossible standards. That’s how I knew he was the wrong one. The right one wouldn’t even notice the standards in the first place._

_I’m probably shocking my friends and family by even going to the villa. Someone close to me likes to say I’m a keener, which is the complete opposite of cool. Well, I’m feeling like an adventure is in order this summer. Maybe if I’m lucky, love will finally stop ignoring me and beg for my attention…..."_


	2. Day One: Get the party started

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _No one knows what the  
>  Future holds, if we  
> Just hold on, maybe life could be sweet,_
> 
> _I am wishing what you're wishing for,_  
>  _And I am hoping what you're hoping for_  
>  \- Sugar Mouse by Oh, Atoms

There was a moment right before the Jeep reached the notorious Love Island villa where Casey almost asked the driver to turn around and go back to the airport, luggage be damned. Who was she kidding? Her, on Love Island? It was a twisted joke, right? She could already hear Derek’s voice when he saw her on tv. He would be laughing his ass off and leading the klutzilla social media campaign, she was sure of it. 

A smaller voice in the very back of her mind, which Casey often ignored when it came to a certain step-brother, reminded her that the reason for going on the show in the first place was to get the attention of aforementioned _step-brother_ (always the emphasis!). But Casey was good at ignoring that voice, so she pretended that the reason she was hanging on for dear life in an open backed jeep in a bikini and high heels was because Emily convinced her. 

+

Emily actually had in fact told her applying for Love Island to get the attention of Derek was, in her own words, the most batshit insane chapter of the ballad of Casey and Derek yet. 

“You do realize you don’t need to get his attention,” Emily had said during their weekly Facetime. “You have _always_ had his attention Casey. Like, the moment he met you. No normal step-brother would invest in their step-sister’s life to the point of ruining dates and coming up with elaborate pranks.”

Casey huffed over her glass of wine. She was sitting in the living room of the tiny Toronto apartment she shared with friends. Money unfortunately did not grow on trees, and her dad, while super helpful when she asked, did not have the funds to bankroll her forever. So a small apartment on the edge of the sketchy side of town was where she called home until her big career goals manifested. Love Island, in her head, could be the key she needed if she managed to win. 

“That’s not the only reason I’m going on the show,” Casey reminded Emily. “Lots of people have gone on the show and then had major career boosts, and you know I’m trying to launch -”

“Your social media presence, so that you can have power behind your brand when you start the dance charity for kids, blah blah blah yes Casey I know.”

“So you see, it’s not because of Derek I’m applying.”

“Casey,” Emily took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. “You and Derek are like, being complicated for no reason.” She held a hand up when Casey opened her mouth up to contest it. “You have already hooked up. Like more times than I can keep track of. More than an oopsie.”

“Well, it's not like its changed anything between us,” Casey bitterly said, taking a sip of her wine.

“God you are so dense,” Emily sighed again. “That boy is literally yours. He’s waiting on your move.”

“Well my move is to go on Love Island and meet hot guys and hopefully win $50 grand. Derek will just have to deal with it.”

+

The jeep entered the grounds of the villa, snapping Casey out of her thoughts. The driver paused, letting her straighten out her bikini top and smooth down her hair, readying for her official entrance. 

Casey could see a few different cameramen set up to capture her first moments of the summer. 

Carefully she crouched and placed one foot down onto the drive, mindful to not trip over the wedges that she paired with her navy and white polka dot bathing suit. The last thing she needed was to be dubbed klutzilla on her first very first day of living in the villa! Her sunglasses were perched on top of her head, acting as a headband, keeping her wind tousled brunette locks out of her face. 

The hot Spanish sun blinded her, but the producers had said she couldn’t wear the sunglasses until filming the introductions were over.

The driveway was crowded with production crew, all eyes on Casey as she took a deep breath and looked at the pristine white villa in front of her. A production assistant came over after they got the shot they wanted, handing her the belt she would have to wear with the mic. The material felt a bit scratchy on the bare skin it touched. 

“Your villa cell phone is in the pouch,” the assistant told her. “Keep it on, even when it’s charging. Never know when a text will come.”

After that, another jeep pulled up. A gorgeous tanned girl wearing a fire truck red bikini with bright yellow braids cascading down her back was in it. She gracefully stepped out in sky high heels with minimal effort, as though they were a pair of everyday wear for her. Maybe she was a model. 

Casey was suddenly aware of a camera right in front of her, catching her first reaction to the arrival of the new fellow islander. She played it cool, or so she hoped, flashing a friendly smile. It wouldn't be in her best interest to make an enemy in the first five minutes at the villa. 

The girl gave nothing away as she walked over to Casey. She was stopped by the same production assistant, getting the same belted mic before being allowed to continue towards her. “Hey hun,” she air kissed Casey’s cheeks, giving a brief hug despite the sticky heat pressing down on them. “I’m Courtney.”

“Hi, I’m Casey.”

The production crew stopped them, asking for a redo. 

“Sorry girls, just want to make sure we have some good footage to edit together later,” a petite redhead with a headset over her pulled back hair told them. Casey thought she might melt, wearing all black, but the producer seemed unbothered. 

After another five minutes of different introductions, Casey and Courtney were finally able to move into the refuge of the villa. A cameraman jogged ahead, catching them as they made their way to scope out the bedroom. 

“Wow, it’s real,” Casey took in the giant room. It really looked like how it did on screen, neon signs and double beds lined up around the room. Cameras were mounted up in every possible nook and cranny, ready to catch all the upcoming drama.

Courtney nodded, clearly excited. They made small talk, until the other girls slowly trickled in; Fiona, Sarah, and Jenna immediately made a dash for the prosecco. While the other girls chatted about their types and what they were most looking forward to, Casey’s mind wandered. What was Derek doing right now?

The last they spoke she had told him she was headed to a yoga retreat for awhile. He had sent a palm tree and drinks emoji, followed by a _have fun babes_ which immediately pricked Casey’s suspicion that Emily spilled the beans. 

But even if Emily had, Derek was still in Canada and Casey had a plastic champagne flute in hand while five - presumably - hot guys waited to meet her. 

So Derek who exactly?

(Only the guy she loved….)

A ding rang out in the empty room, startling her back to the present. The group of girls looked at each other, eyes wide. Immediately they all pulled out their phones.

“I’ve got a text!” Fiona squealed. She read it out loud, informing them that it was time to meet the boys outside. 

They waited, seeming to collectively hold a breath while waiting to see who would go first. 

_Ding!_

There was a blur of movement as they each checked their phones. Casey almost dropped her’s when she glanced at it. She was the first one to go out there. 

“It’s me,” she said, jumping up from the barstool. She set down the plastic flute, still mostly full. Drinking and nerves were never a good idea for her; Derek could certainly attest to that. 

She took a deep breath, doing last minute tugging on her bikini. 

“You look fabulous, babes.” Courtney nodded encouragingly. 

“Thanks,” Casey offered a smile. “See you girls out there.”

A different production assistant led her back to the downstairs living room, where she had to wait a few minutes to go out and make her grand entrance.

“We aren’t redoing this part. All genuine, hun,” the same petite producer from earlier told her. “Stop at the purple circle on the ground. Alright, go.” 

Slowly, rather than confidently, Casey followed the path through the garden towards the pool area where the host and the guys were waiting. Only a minor stumble occurred as she misjudged the steps down, but it appeared none of the guys lined up cared much. They all openly checked her out as she took her place near the host.

“Heya guys,” Casey pasted a smile on her face, feeling flustered as five pairs of eyes looked her up and down. It felt exposing, and in a weird way, empowering. She felt her cheeks flush pink, but that could have been just the sun’s doing. She mentally reminded herself to re-apply sunscreen as soon as possible.

They went through the motions of introducing themselves one at a time, giving their best cheesy pick up lines. Chris, Ethan Tyler? Taylor? Casey lost focus. 

“If you fancy Casey, please step forward,” the host said. What if no one stepped up? What an embarrassment that would be, she could never face her friends again, Derek would - “Wow Casey, lucky girl! You’ve got your pick of all them.” The host winked.

All five guys were standing in front of their designated spots, giving her cheeky grins. 

“Oh wow, this is flattering,” Casey chuckled nervously. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything except ask them why they stepped forward,” the host said. “Tom, why did you step forward?”

All the guys in front of her were easy on the eyes, but Tom especially held Casey’s interest. He oozed confidence, but not in a cocky manner. A quiet undercurrent, rather than a blaring alarm. She caught an eye full of tanned washboard abs first before a brilliant white smile flashed at her. Dark blue eyes peeked out from under dirty-blond curls. 

“I think you have a killer smile and stunning eyes,” Tom said. Shallow, but Casey hadn’t come onto Love Island for her perfect match. “I’d love to see if I can be the reason behind your laugh.” He held her gaze steadily.

“I’d like to couple up with Tom,” Casey said a moment later after two more of the boys gave vague reasons. She went and stood beside him, feeling incredibly awkward now that she had to be next to him. One by one the other girls came out, coupling up with the remaining guys. Fiona with Ethan, Courtney with Tyler, Sarah with Chris, and Jenna with Will, who had tripped over his feet stepping forward for her. 

The host gave them a few parting words of enjoying their time in the villa and falling in love, before leaving them to their own devices. They were ushered towards various parts of the villa grounds to get to know their new partners while the crew cleared the area they were in. The assistants all disappeared, probably back to the makeshift buildings on the driveway to watch all their moves out of the hot sunshine. 

Tom followed Casey to a daybed, sitting beside her. She watched as the couples took seats around the yard, starting the get to know you process.

She turned back to him, unsure what to say. Thankfully Tom had no problem filling in the uncomfortable silence. He lazily stretched out on the daybed, propping up his head with a muscular arm. 

“So Casey,” he smiled brightly, his eyes trained solely on her. “Tell me about yourself. How’s a stunner like you here, single?”

Right to the point, she thought. It felt like being a gazelle, in sight of a lion. “My last actual boyfriend was ages ago,” Casey carefully said. “I’ve honestly been so wrapped up in internships and graduating college to give much thought to a relationship.”

A total bullshit white lie. Derek consumed all of her attention even when she had studied, or done her internships. But the attractive guy in front of her didn't need to be made aware of that.

“And now?” Tom hedged, obviously wanting to hear that had changed. She wondered if he would be interested in hearing about her academic achievements or career goals at all, or if she only represented boobs in a bikini and a road stop to the $50k.

Not that she could judge. That’s exactly why she signed up. 

“Now I’ve graduated, and it seems like the perfect time to start fresh with someone.” Casey delicately said, shifting on the daybed. Tom took up most of the space. He didn’t take the hint that she needed more room, instead launching into a sales pitch about himself. 

“Yeah, cool, I understand that completely. I’m a grad from University of Manitoba myself, studied pre-med but I’m leaning towards following my dream of launching a small business of some sort.”

This impressed Casey. “Pre-med, wow! What path were you initially hoping to follow?”

“Pediatric surgery,” Tom replied. “Still in the cards, but I just wanna see where the summer takes me.” 

“Right,” Casey replied, melting inside at the idea of this hot guy being a pediatric doctor. If she was swooning internally, the viewers definitely would be. Could he be the ticket to winning after all? “Well, I graduated from Queens, with a degree in English Lit and Communications. I’m hoping to get into -”

“I’VE GOT A TEXT!” Someone shouted across the villa’s yard, cutting her off. They both turned in the direction it had come from. Fiona excitedly waved her phone in the air, standing on the patio by the pool, Ethan beside her. 

“We better go check that out,” Tom apologetically said to Casey, getting up. “Let’s chat more later, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Casey said, though he was already striding across the yard away from her. She followed, reaching Fiona in time to hear the text. 

“Islanders,” she started, her voice slightly squeaky. “It’s time to find out who’s hot under the collar, and who’s playing it cool. Head over to the firepit to play a game of Truth or Dare. #truthsspilled #dareifyouwill”

“Ooh, I love this game!” Sarah grinned, the first to head over towards the firepit. 

“Ugh, flashback to my awkward years,” Courtney muttered under her breath to Casey, making a face as they walked.

“I don’t actually remember playing that game,” Casey replied, chewing her lip. The dares would certainly be borderline sexual, or at the very least embarrassing for the ratings and tweet reactions. Truths could always be fudged a bit; she made a mental note to pick that. 

They walked at a leisurely pace behind the rest of the group, the last to arrive. Tom patted the empty spot beside him. She took a seat, the hot cushions almost scorching her bare legs. Someone in the production team thought it would be a good idea to have the firepit on, causing everyone in the group to lean uncomfortably away from it. 

Sarah and Jenna bickered over the cards, both wanting to go first. Casey internally rolled her eyes. Across from her, Courtney didn’t bother to hide her expression. 

“I’ll go,” she said, grabbing a card from the Dare deck. This resulted in dirty looks from both Sarah and Jenna, which made Casey giggle. Courtney smirked. “Seduce a member of the group.”

Ethan wolf-whistled. “Who’s the lucky one then!”

Courtney thoughtfully tapped the card to her chin, her bright teal blue nails contrasting against the warmth of her skin. She stood up, confidently turning to face her current partner, Tyler. Slowly she leaned over him, trailing a finger down his bare chest, all the way until she hovered over the waistband of his swim trunks. Then she placed a kiss on his neck, her hand on his thigh as everyone whooped and hollered around them. 

A second later she pulled away, sitting back down in her seat with a triumphed smile on her face as Tyler took a huge swig of his water. “I need a moment,” he hoarsely told the group, much to everyone’s amusement. 

“My turn,” Sarah said, snatching a card. Another dare. “Kiss the person to your right.” She flipped her long dark hair, a gleam in her eyes. Will happened to be sitting on that side of her. He cast a slightly nervous look at Jenna, who looked utterly annoyed. “Pucker up, babes,” Sarah playfully warned him, leaning in and giving him a hearty kiss for almost a full minute before backing off. He looked dazed. 

A few more turns went before it was finally Casey’s turn. She immediately selected a truth card. She felt a rush of relief at the words on the card. “Where’s the weirdest place you’ve had sex?” 

“Ooh, go on girl! Tell us!” Courtney encouraged. 

Casey offered a mysterious smile. “I don’t think it’s that weird, to be honest. My friends would say it's rather on brand.”

“Let us guess!” Jenna exclaimed, giggling. “A bathroom?”

“That’s not weird,” Sarah said dismissively. “I think it’s like, hood of a car in a church parking lot weird. Or even the pews inside of a church. No offense, Casey, but something about you screams church girl.”

"I'm definitely not a church girl," Casey said with a bit more bite than she intended. "No offense to anyone who is."

“That’s a really specific place,” Chris commented. "Who would even want to have sex in front of Jesus on the cross?" He shuddered. 

Sarah shrugged. “It’s more common than you think.”

"Maybe in your crowd," Jenna quipped, earning a big laugh at Sarah's expense.

"What about at a concert," Ethan suggested. "Back of the stage, just out of view?"

Casey cracked a smile at that one. “No, not that public. It’s, um, the library. But I won’t say where exactly. That’s between me and the other person.”

It had been in the very back of the library on a night where most people were out partying. The social science section, where the lights flickered and went off due to the motion sensor being dead. Derek convinced her it would be a great stress reliever. He hadn’t been wrong.

“I approve,” Courtney clapped. “Love that.”

They continued until they ran out of cards. Another text informed them they were free to chill out for the time being. 

“Lets go gossip,” Courtney appeared beside Casey, looping arms together. They went to the daybeds closest to the pool, where the boys were swimming and casually chatting. Sarah and Fiona sat on the beanbags near the kitchen, while Jenna stretched out alone on a daybed on the other side of the yard. 

“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” Casey said, sliding her sunglasses down her face. The sun was shining and hot above them, the ocean in the far distance sparkling. She hoped they would have a chance to check out local sites at some point. 

“I know, it’s amazing right?” Courtney rubbed tanning oil on her skin, her eyes on the guys in the pool. “So. What part of Canada do you call home?” 

“London,” Casey replied, declining the tanning oil when it was offered. “I’ll burn.”

Courtney nodded. “There’s sunscreen in the bathroom. Like loads of it, if you need it.” She laid back on the daybed, closing her eyes against the sun. “London, huh? I haven’t been. Only place in Ontario I’ve seen is Toronto. I’m from Edmonton, though I went briefly to school in Vancouver before realizing it wasn’t for me.”

“I just graduated from Queens,” Casey admitted. “English Lit and Communications. I already miss it.”

“Congrats! What’s next then, besides hoping to find love and win some money?”

“I don’t know,” Casey said. “I’d like to start a non-profit someday. A dance charity for kids. I was a dancer in high school, and I danced professionally briefly in New York before realizing it wasn’t for me. I lasted three months before I went with my original plan to attend Queens.”

Courtney whistled, impressed. “Now that’s pretty cool. I’m just a receptionist right now for my uncle’s company.”

“I’m sure that’ll change once the summer is over,” Casey said. 

Her phone vibrated, a warning texted by the producers to keep conversation away from life after the villa. 

“We just got told off,” Casey shook her head. “Gotta keep the convo to more tv rating appropriate subjects.”

Aka, only in-villa related topics.

“Hmmm,” Courtney nodded her head towards Sarah and Fiona, who looked to be talking animatedly and casting looks at an oblivious Jenna. “I think there’s already drama brewing between Sarah and Jenna.”

“Ooh, yeah, hard agree,” Casey whispered. “Jenna looked so annoyed when Sarah kissed Will.”

“She’ll have to get over it. It’s day one here. Sarah kissing Will is going to be the least of her worries if we get new islanders in the house.”

“I hope we get new guys soon,” Casey said, as the boys began a race in the pool. “Tom is really cute though.”

“He’s super cute,” Courtney agreed. “Tyler is too. He’s a model in LA.”

“You could be a model,” Casey told her, sincere. “Tyler better realize that you’re on the same playing field.”

“I’m so flattered, thanks Casey. You're a total sweetheart.”

They chatted for a little while more before Courtney went to jump in the pool to cool off, leaving Casey alone to her thoughts. What was the family up to? Were they going to watch the show? Would Derek? What would he think of Tom, she mused, watching as her current partner showed off to Fiona and Sarah in the pool. 

_Ding!_

“I’ve got a text!” Casey shouted. She waited until everyone came over, in earshot. “Islanders, tonight there will be a welcome party!” Everyone cheered. “Please get ready for a special guest. #drinksonus #droppingthepuck”

“Amazing, a party!” Sarah squealed. 

“A new islander too,” Ethan said thoughtfully. “Maybe another chick?”

“I think we might be getting a new boy,” Fiona countered. “Call it intuition.”

“Whoever it is, we need to go get ready!” Jenna made a move towards the villa. “Who else needs to shower?” 

+

The rest of the afternoon was a frenzy of competing for showers and getting ready for the evening party. Casey listened to the mindless chatter of the girls as she applied her makeup carefully. 

Before leaving for Spain, Casey had gone in secret to a couple makeup lessons at Sephora and the makeup counters at the mall to learn how to properly enhance her eyes, her favorite feature, and to hide blemishes on camera. Normally Casey avoided heavy makeup, favoring a more natural day to day look. She felt a bit like a clown attempting a smokey eye. 

“Knock knock,” a cheerful British voice called from the doorway. A woman came in carrying a makeup kit, clearly part of production. “The glam squad is here!”

“Glam squad?” Courtney asked, confused. 

“Yes love, I’m the makeup and hair guru for the show.” The woman put her kit down on a clear space of the counter. “I’m Jodie,” she introduced herself. “You all look amazing, but I’m just here to touch up your looks and make sure everything is perfect for the cameras, and the boys.”

“I didn’t know we had help,” Casey said, setting down her contour brush. 

“It’s our little secret,” Jodie winked. 

She swept around the room, fixing Fiona’s hair and adding a hint of dark color to Jenna’s eyes. Courtney got handed a setting mist, and Sarah was helped with her eyeliner. 

“Hm, that outfit needs a half up, half down fishtail,” Jodie said when she got to Casey. “Show off those shoulders a bit, love.”

Casey had chosen a very un-Casey outfit; a red and gold bohemian style dress that left her shoulders exposed, hugging the few curves she possessed and revealing her legs through slits. It wasn’t exactly glam, like Fiona’s white and black club ready dress or Courtney’s chic jumpsuit, but it made Casey feel confident and ready for whatever the night would throw at them.

Jodie quickly braided her hair into a fishtail look that looked expertly messy and fell loose upon her shoulders, leaving a good amount showing. 

“Gorgeous! You’re ready, love. Have fun tonight,” the makeup artist said, packing up and heading out of the room. 

A phone beeped. 

“I got a text,” Sarah announced to the other girls. “It’s time to head down to the party."

+

The boys were already down on the lawn, spread out in little groups and chatting amongst themselves, drinks in hand. 

“There they are,” Ethan boisterously shouted, heading over to greet them. 

Tom went right over to Casey, handing her a glass of bubbly. 

“Thank you,” she said, accepting it. They had been warned by the producers that there was a limit on alcoholic beverages each day, so she didn’t rush to drink it. 

Apparently some of the guys forgot that memo; they were in a chugging contest. The girls cheered them on. It reminded Casey of the hockey team parties she often had gone to with Derek at Queens. She shoved away the feeling of longing for him, focusing instead on Tom beside her. He was encouraging Will to chug faster. 

Will victoriously pumped his fist as he chugged, holding up his emptied plastic glass in victory.

“Nice one,” Tom clapped him on the back. “Too bad you're done for the night, that’s two glasses smashed, plus the bubbly this morning.” 

Will shrugged, putting the glass down on a nearby table. 

“Just the first night, more parties up ahead.”

“If you make it that long,” Fiona snidely said, refilling her glass beside him.

“Shots fired,” Ethan nervously laughed, breaking the sudden awkward tension. 

“Well, it’s true though, none of us know how long we’re going to be here for,” Fiona shrugged. “Better to be aware.”

“Fair play,” Will said. He looked over towards the garden path, something catching his eye. “Hey. Someone is coming!”

The pathway, though well lit, cast shadows on the mysterious person as they came towards the group. Casey was suddenly very aware of additional cameramen surrounding the group in order to capture the reactions to the new arrival. The editors would probably throw in a relevant pop song, to really heighten the mood. 

“Oh my god, it’s a new guy,” Fiona whispered, clutching onto Casey’s arm randomly, causing her to look away from the garden entrance. “Ooh, he’s so hot!”

Casey’s eyes moved back to the gates, where the mysterious person stepped into full view on the patio. 

Her heart stopped for a moment, before restarting and dipping down low into her belly. Her pulse quickened, and she clutched onto her plastic glass for support. The group moved as one to greet the new arrival, unaware of the shock Casey found herself actively fighting as a very familiar, earth shattering smirk faced her direction. 

Was the alcohol hitting her senses already? Sure, she was more of a lightweight when it came to drinking, though definitely not to the point where a few sips sent her already klutzy self spiraling into tipsyville. But there couldn’t be any other explanation for the very real image in front of her eyes. 

Because the new islander?

It was Derek.

+

**London, Ontario**

Nora and George stared gobsmacked at their television as the narrator told them to stay tuned for the next episode. The only sound in the living room that could be heard was the theme song as it played over the credits and Edwin, chewing the last bit of popcorn that had been made in preparation for the show's premiere. They turned to look at each other, speechless. 

Lizzie broke the tense silence first. "Well, at least we now know why Derek told us he was too busy to watch the first episode with us."

Edwin snorted. "Yeah, because he's on it too!"

"Do you think Casey knew?" Lizzie thoughtfully asked. 

"Nah, no way," Edwin replied. "But how did he even find out? She was so determined to keep it a secret."

"Emily told him," Marti pipped up from her spot on Derek's chair. "She told me."

"I..." George began to say, falling quiet again. "Our kids.."

"Do we still watch the rest of the series?" Nora whispered, her eyes huge. "Oh god," she groaned. "Of all places for them to figure it out between them, it has to be on national television?"

Before anyone could reply, the house phone rang. They all looked at each other. George got up, tentatively answering. "Hello?" His eyes widened. "No, we did not know! No, no comment!"

He slammed the phone down, only for it to ring instantly again. Lizzie and Edwin both jumped at the same time as their cell phones began to ring simultaneously, startling them. The bowl in Edwin's hand fell to the rug, bits of kernels everywhere. Nora shut her cell phone off mid-ring as George repeated the no comment sentiment to another caller. 

It was going to be a long summer of ignoring calls for the Venturi-McDonald family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to make a quick note that some of the lingo being used by the islanders, Derek, and Casey will be authentic from the show. So Canadians will be using British words and slang. Let's just pretend its part of the love island bubble they're in and not weird at all okay?!


	3. Day Two: The Steal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _We've got a story but I'm about to change the ending  
>  You're perfect for me  
> You're more than just a friend so we can just stop pretending now  
> I gotta let you know somehow_ \- Boys Like Girls, Be Your Everything
> 
> Day 2 is finally here! This took way longer than I thought it would, but here it is! This has been lightly edited, but I will be going back through after I get some sleep, so please enjoy this chapter for what it is, mistakes and all <3

**Welcome back to Love Island. Last time, we let loose ten of Canada's sexiest singles into a luxury villa in Spain, where they promptly coupled up based on who likes long walks on the beach and who prefers to sleep in. We take compatibility very seriously on our show! ……. Just kidding, they picked a partner based on looks. We never claimed to be high-brow, folks!**

**As a refresher, our couples right now are Courtney and Tyler, Fiona and Ethan, Sarah and Chris, Jenna and Will, and Casey and Tom.**

**It looked like Jenna and Sarah were already starting to have sparks - of drama, that is - and Dr. Tom led the charge of a chugging contest. Pretty that’s against his training. Wait, he’s pre-med. Alright then Dr. Tom, have a pass.**

**But now there’s a new arrival at the villa, and he has his eye on someone already….**

+

Casey stepped unconsciously forward, pulled like a magnet to where the group engulfed Derek from out of her sight. The girls were firing off questions, seemingly forgetting all about their partners of a couple of hours. His smile was a light, and she the moth; step by slow step she got closer to him.

He noticed her movements, his warm gaze meeting her steadily. 

“So, I know you just arrived,” Someone was saying, Will maybe, or perhaps Ethan. “But who do you think you might go for?”

Derek smirked, an expression she knew all too well, his eyes flickering casually over the girls in the group. Casey stood on the fringe, unsure how to react to seeing him. Did she play it cool? Act like she didn’t know him? Act like she did? What was he even doing in the villa? Her indecisiveness led to Derek choosing for her the path they would follow. 

“I don’t even know _everyone’s_ names yet,” he said, politely accepting a drink being shoved into his hand by an eager Fiona. “But I know my type. I’m going for the girl who’s exactly that.” His eyes found Casey again. 

“What’s your type then?” Jenna asked, shifting so that Derek was sandwiched between her and Fiona. Will and Ethan didn’t seem to mind too much, though Will kept glancing at Jenna whenever she seemed to press closer to Derek.

“Come to the firepit and tell us,” Sarah pulled on Derek’s hand. Annoyance flashed in his brown eyes before settling into a good natured shine. “Come on ladies,” Sarah bossily said, leading the group to the seats around the roaring fire. Casey followed, still dazed that he was there. She followed the group, taking a seat beside Courtney as Tom automatically sat beside her, his arm extended out behind her on the back of the bench. 

Derek raised his eyebrow, quickly taking his hand away from Sarah as he settled down; she claimed the seat beside him, angling her body so that if he happened to look down, her chest would be the very first thing to catch his eye. 

Irritation would be an understatement for what Casey felt as she watched Sarah then flip her long, black strands over her creamy shoulder purposefully, sitting tall and straight so that even just breathing caused a bounce. Chris, her actual partner, had his eyes glued on her - somehow he ended up in the seat furthest away from her. A cameraman discreetly hovered nearby, his camera trained on the current center of action - Derek.

“So, Derek,” Casey spoke up first with a fake brightness she didn’t feel, eager suddenly to have his sole attention. “You were going to tell us about your type. I know I’m not the only one when I say I’m _super_ curious to hear what it is.” 

He chuckled, taking a slow sip of his drink. “I like smart girls,” he began. “The keener type, who have no idea how gorgeous they are. I find it adorable when she’s a bit klutzy,” he looked directly at her, maintaining eye contact. “Even if on the stage she’s graceful and you wonder how is that even the same person?” 

Casey bit her lip, trying desperately not to give anything away. Her cheeks, she could argue if called out, where merely rosy from the sun. Totally plausible. 

But then he continued! “I find it frustratingly cute too that she, _if she is,_ utterly clueless and doesn’t realize how much she means to me? I dunno,” he shrugged. “I’m into that way more than I thought I’d be.” 

“Ooh, well I’m totally a keener type,” Sarah batted her lashes. “I like, love reading. I bring a magazine along to the beach whenever I go.”

“And I used to volunteer at the library,” Jenna cut in, smiling sweetly. “I used to have these super nerdy glasses and braces. Totally had a ‘She’s All That’ moment my senior year when I finally got my contacts and the metal tracks off.” 

The eye roll happened before Casey realized she’d done it. Jenna caught it, narrowing her eyes. “What about _you_ , Casey? I bet someone _so_ pretty like yourself didn’t have to experience awkwardness like us mere mortals.”

Wow, for a brief moment Casey believed she could get along well with Jenna. There went that.

“That’s so flattering,” she said, laying on an extra sweet voice. “But honestly I was so clumsy in high school I was literally dubbed by everyone - including the hottest guy at school, ugh so embarrassing - klutzilla.” 

Derek quickly lifted his drink up to hide the huge smirk that appeared at her words. Inspiration hit her like a flash of lightning, giving her an adrenaline rush. The other girls were clambering for his attention (god it really felt like reliving school all over again) but Casey decided to do the thing they weren’t yet ready to do in an attempt to play fake nice. 

“Hey Derek, can I pull you for a chat?” She asked, giving him an award winning, sugar sweet smile. Casey needed answers from him, and she wanted them sooner than later before the producers strongly suggested bedtime. She couldn’t do that with the crowd around them. Plus the glares being sent her way from the other girls was completely worth being forward. 

Derek stood up fast. “Sure,” he gestured for her to lead the way. “Sorry guys, when a pretty girl asks for some alone time, you don’t pass that up.” 

Casey could feel the group watching as she walked towards the opposite side of the yard, at one of the benches that overlooked the glittering coastal skyline below. Derek sat beside her, a touch too close for people who were supposed to not know each other. 

“Derek,” Casey started in a hushed tone. 

His eyes widened, darting back and forth in a quick manner. “Casey,” he whispered back, smiling while at the same shaking his head slightly. Did he not want to talk about this? “I feel so lucky to be pulled for a chat by the most gorgeous girl here.”

Ugh. But also aww. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere with me,” Casey playfully warned. “I appreciate truthfulness and straightforwardness.”

“So do I,” Derek shot back, a serious undertone subtly interwoven with the lighthearted tone he projected. “But it’s true, you’re the most gorgeous one here, no contest. I think I may very well steal you from whatshisface.”

“Straight to the point,” Casey said, raising an eyebrow. “But what if I want to get to know Tom? Isn’t that a bit unfair to steal me just because you think I’m gorgeous?”

“Nah, not if I think - know - you’re exactly my type,” Derek countered. “It’d actually be completely unfair to us both to deny us a real chance, and unfair to Tom. Because no offense to him but I have a strong feeling he isn’t the right one for you. Cut the cord now, it’ll be less bitter.”

“That’s a lot of cockiness for someone who just entered the villa,” Casey said, looking away to the skyline. 

“I’ll prove it,” Derek confidently replied. “You’ll see.” 

She gave him a small smile, and a look that said they were going to chat more seriously about how he came to be in the villa instead of back in Canada. (Emily, she bet, had intervened. She couldn’t decide whether she was annoyed or glad about it. And honestly how the hell did he get on? They audition hundreds of people!) Something moved on the edge of her peripheral view just then, distracting her. 

A camera guy trailed behind Sarah and Jenna, suddenly very friendly with each other, casually walking by the pool and whispering as they pretended to not be spying. 

“Casey,” Tom appeared too, shattering the ‘private’ moment between her and Derek. He jogged over, a friendly mega smile on his handsome face. “Hope I’m not interrupting,” he said, though his tone suggested otherwise. “But we should go claim _our_ bed before the good ones get taken up.”

“Oh right,” Casey said, flashing an apologetic smile towards Derek. “Thanks for the chat, Der.” He nodded, letting her go in with Tom. Immediately he was ambushed by Sarah and Jenna, eager to have their chance with him, even if it meant putting up with each other. 

He suppressed a sigh as they started asking him questions rooted in vapidness until that was abandoned to out sell the other in desirability. Derek desperately wanted to scoop Casey into his arms and pull her into bed, publicly making it clear who he was in the villa for.

He’d never even seen a damn episode of this stupid show before finding himself part of it, but he had a rough idea from various YouTube clips what they were in for. Emily filled him in early about Casey’s upcoming stay in the villa. 

_“Your clueless girlfriend doesn’t think she’s your girlfriend you absolute moron,”_ Emily had started off that particular phone call. Okay, so he dropped the ball majorly and Casey thought they were still just friends with benefits ( _“It’s been two years of us being us! I thought she knew! I buy her presents and take her out all the time!”_ he weakly said, defending himself) - so she somehow thought going on Love Island would get his attention? Revenge? 

Who knew. But thank god for Morgan, his old pal from an internship in Toronto; they had a friend who had a friend that was a producer on the show. He managed to get on, his hockey rookie status in the NHL giving him a major boost over others. 

Derek was fairly certain the producers were in on his history with Casey - he’d been truthful to Morgan about why he wanted to get on in the first place. But they seemed to be allowing the current pleading pretend path, probably for juicy ratings later. He didn’t care. 

He only cared about getting Casey, and sorting out things between them once and for all. 

“Excuse me ladies,” Derek interrupted Jenna mid-chat about how much she adored something or another - he hadn’t been listening - “I think it’s time to head in and get ready for sleep. Otherwise I’m afraid the bags under my eyes will scare you away.” 

“Oh, omg you’re so right!” Sarah quickly said, following him inside with Jenna. Derek spotted Tom claiming a bed near the center of the room, a truly terrible spot strategically. There would be no privacy from eavesdroppers or the cameras being so central. Derek jumped on the one closest to the far wall, which offered a bit more privacy as there was only one other bed beside it. 

There were cameras mounted all around the big bedroom, which was starting to give Derek a headache with all the clinical white and blasts of neon colors. The mic around his neck scratched uncomfortably when he took off his shirt for bed. They had to keep the stupid things on most of the time, so the producers didn’t miss secret conversations under the sheets. He fully intended on breaking that rule. Derek would go insane if he couldn’t have a proper conversation with Casey. 

She wandered into the bedroom from the bathroom, toiletry basket in hand. He instantly recognized the oversized t-shirt with an obscure band logo on it dwarfing her frame; that shirt had been missing from his wardrobe for well over a year. She paired it with faded pink leggings that also rang a bell, he was pretty sure they were from high school. It made him incredibly turned on that she was going to wear his shirt while in the same bed next to whatshisface. Derek didn’t trust the guy.

Casey could feel Derek watching her as she set down her toiletry basket. Tom stretched out on the bed they were meant to share, giving her an approving appraisal despite the fact she purposefully picked the unsexiest combination in her suitcase. The lights dimmed, forcing her to scramble under the duvet. She had a customized sleeping mask with her name on it, courtesy of the producers to block out all the glowing lights the mounted cameras were giving off. 

“Hey Casey,” Tom whispered as she settled in, stiff and feeling incredibly awkward. “My arms are open for cuddling if you’re interested.” 

“Oh, uh,” Casey nervously squeaked. “I’m actually super tired, and this is like mega awkward y’know?” She said that a bit more loudly than necessary, furtively casting a look towards Derek. His eyes were on her, dark and smoldering under the glow of the camera lights. She could just make out a satisfied smirk at her words. 

Tom chuckled. “No worries Casey, just letting you know the offer is there. Good night.” He rolled over, pulling the duvet with him. She felt an ice cold blast as the air conditioning kicked on. 

“Goodnight everyone!” Will called out as the lights dimmed further. 

“Goodnight,” the rest of the islanders said back before settling into their beds. There was whispering from the next bed where Fiona and Ethan were. Rustling and a stray giggle floated from the opposite side of the room where Sarah and Chris lay. It sounded like they were getting to know each other more intimately.

Casey stared up at the ceiling as a snore started directly beside her. It’d be a god damn miracle if sleep claimed her.

+

_She stood with her back against the bookshelves in the far corner of the library where the lights flickered and went out after it detected motion. Her legs were intertwined with Derek’s waist, as her hips moved in time with the urgent rolls of his own. They were the only ones on this floor of the library, everyone else preferring to get their pent up energy and nerves around finals out by partying. But Casey was a keener, and when he looked in her eyes and saw her pouty lips, he could never say no to her, which is why he willingly went to the library instead of going to a bar with his teammates._

_“Der-ek,” she hissed, her shoulder hitting the shelf behind her. She arched into the sharp pain, her nails grazing the back of his shirt. “Oh my god, Derek.” His hand somehow snuck in between them, finding the spot that always made her voice reach upwards, higher and higher._

_“Are you going to be loud for me,” he whispered, enjoying the sounds attempting to escape her mouth as he flicked her clit. He paused the movement of his hand, shifting her before starting again just as she began to protest the lack of stimulation. “Are you going to let them hear us?”_

_“N,N-Nooo,” Casey stubbornly replied, clamping her lips shut to prevent a moan echoing out into the still and empty library floor._

_“Are you sure,” Derek cockily asked, moving his thumb _just so_ as he jutted his hips back into her. The combination proved too much for Casey, the familiar and addictive peak catching her off guard as her mouth opened before she could stomp down the scream of pleasure that burst forth._

_“Deee-reeek,” she screeched; it was music to his ears, it had been since he was fifteen and she barged into his life. He’d be screwed if she ever found out how hot his name sounded when she broke it up like that, how he constantly found different and creative ways to make her say it._

_After, when he helped her down to stand on shaky legs and she held onto him tightly catching her breath, half mortified at what they had just done in the library and half high on euphoria, she would wonder how it was him of all people to make her love breaking rules._

+

A collective groan woke up Casey as the bright lights of the villa’s bedroom startled the islanders awake the next morning. She threw a pillow over her face, grouchy from the intrusive start to the day. She had been in the middle of a wonderful dream, a memory really, of a private moment with Derek when she got cruelly pulled back to reality. Beside her in the bed, Tom stretched, the blankets securely covering him. She was so cold, even with the long layers she had worn to bed. 

“Morning,” he said in a husky voice that was meant to be sexy sounding. It merely made Casey even more irritated, due to the fact that 1) she froze thanks his blanket hogging and to the extreme setting on the villa’s air conditioning unit and 2) Derek was already up out of bed, shirtless with his sweatpants riding low so that the trail of hair leading down to a place she knew intimately caught all the islanders with eyeballs attention. 

Sarah sat up on her knees, pretending to dramatically yawn, her hands behind her head as she tilted her chest forward. She had worn a skimpy lingerie number to bed, the green fabric sheer and clinging tightly to her curves; she looked utterly enchanting and it did little to soothe the seething jealousy Casey felt when Derek innocently greeted back to the breathy good morning thrown his way.

His eyes didn’t even flicker towards Sarah when he did. Instead he caught Casey’s eye, sending her a wink that sent her into a temporary spiral before grabbing his shower caddy and jogging off to the bathroom, the girls openly ogling the muscles of his back and the simple black lined birds tattoo’d there, starting from his shoulder all the way down the right side of his back. Each one represented a member of their blended family, flying together as a flock. 

(Casey loved that tattoo, and the fact she was the only one in the villa who knew what it represented.)

Tom hopped out of bed too, searching his luggage for swim trunks and a - ugh no, a bright neon yellow tank top with a pair of purple shutter style shades on it. Casey internally cringed. This docked even more points against him. 

“Sooo, how did everyone sleep, girls?” Fiona cheerfully asked a few minutes later as the girls assembled in the dressing room to get ready for a day of lounging by the pool gossiping and whatever else the producers had planned for them. 

“Chris snores,” Sarah complained as she carefully did a sharp black wing of eyeliner with a practiced hand. 

“It sounded like you two were getting cozy before bed,” Jenna commented, curling her hair. Casey hid a smirk, focusing on her tired looking face. She reached for one of her moisturizers, beginning the tedious task of prepping her skin for the makeup that would be soon smothering it. 

“We just got to know each other a bit better,” Sarah replied. “But that snoring really did a number on my beauty sleep. But I’ve to say, waking up to Derek strutting around,” she fanned herself. “I wouldn’t mind falling asleep in that boy’s bed.”

“Well, we have no idea what today is going to bring,” Courtney interjected, tying her bright blonde hair back into a french braid. “We should get to know our boys. It could very well be one of us on the chopping block when we least expect it.”  


“Fair point,” Fiona said, standing up to look at herself in the full-length mirror that was the wardrobe door. She twirled around, admiring her outfit choice of a red and white checkered bikini, a gauzy white sun cover, and heels. “Well, I’m done. See you girls out there.”

“I’m going too,” Jenna followed her out, leaving behind an awkward silence as Casey deliberately ignored Sarah and Courtney hummed to a tune only known by her. 

“Well this was fun,” Sarah drawled out a couple minutes later, spraying a sweet smelling perfume and waltzing through it. “But I have a guy to get to know. See you.”

Courtney waited until the clicking of Sarah’s heels faded away down the hallway. “Oh god I can’t stand her, she’s so insufferable.”

Casey giggled. “She really annoys me,” she admitted. 

“I don’t know why she thinks Derek is going to be interested in her,” Courtney mused out loud. She shot Casey a look. “He clearly is verrry taken with you. Anyone can see that.”

“You think?” Casey asked, a thrill shooting through her. She looked at her reflection, her makeup almost done for the day. She needed to do her hair still, and decide on what to wear. 

Courtney gave her a look. “You guys chatted really intensely last night. Jenna and Sarah were dying to know what you were saying. Tom definitely didn’t seem too happy about it.” She snorted, unlady like as she did one last spray of her setting mist. “God we’ve been here barely twenty-four hours and already people are trying to stake claim on each other. Like if you want to chat to Derek, you chat to Derek, okay? Don’t let the others stop you.”

“What about you? Are you interested in him too, do you think?” Did Casey have to worry about Courtney?

“He’s definitely hot, don’t get me wrong. But Tyler is way more my type. He’s like the long lost brother of Jason Momoa,” Courtney dreamily sighed before standing up. “I’m going to go find him, see if he can lift me up. He told me he’s ex-military, but now he’s a crossfit trainer when he’s not modeling.”

“Have fun,” Casey said, shaking her head lightly. She turned back to the mirror, anxious to finish up and get ready. She didn’t want to have to watch Derek with the other girls for too long.

+

“Casey, come join us!” Courtney called from the loungers by the pool when she emerged from the villa finally, lathered in sunscreen and hair piled high up in a messy dancer’s bun. She paused at the outdoor kitchen to fill up her customized Love Island water bottle, briefly surveying the yard. The girls were all engrossed in watching the boys play fight in the water; Will was up on Ethan’s shoulders, a bright purple noodle in hand as he combated against Chris and Tyler, the latter of whom was wielding an orange noodle like a lightsaber. Tom acted as referee, giving random points for form and splash. 

Casey spotted Derek sitting on the ledge of the pool, sunglasses perched on his nose while he cheered on the noodle fight and helped Tom ref; his head turned at the sound of Courtney’s voice calling out her name. He flashed a grin, nodding.

Casey sucked in a breath, nodding back in what she hoped was a casual manner. Quickly, she filled up her bottle and went to join the girls as Derek’s eyes followed her movement. 

“Hey,” Casey sat down beside Sarah, who was openly checking out Chris’s abs as he tried to navigate in the water with Tyler on his shoulder. 

“Do or do not! There is no try!” Will yelled, wacking his noodle hard against Tyler’s chest.

“Oof,” Tyler almost fell over. Chris steadied him. “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?!”

“Six points!” Tom called out, narrowly avoiding a rogue noodle hit as Will leaned forward towards Tyler.

“That’s not how the Force works!” Tyler blocked it successfully.

“Are they randomly quoting Star Wars out of context?” Casey asked; the rest of the girls shrugged. 

“I’ve actually never seen any of them,” Fiona said, rolling over to catch the sun on her back. All the girls were wearing barely there bikinis. Casey suddenly felt prudish in comparison with her solid one piece, a black and metallic number that seemed a bit too rock n roll when she purchased it. Now it seemed out of place.

“Han Solo and Princess Leia are so iconic,” Jenna sighed dreamily. “I would love to find my own rebel with a heart of gold.”

Sarah teared her gaze away from Chris to look at her.

“Um, I don’t think anyone uses _heart of gold_ to describe Han Solo. I’ve seen enough of those movies to know he’s not a prince. Hot rebel, yes, Knight in shining armor? No.”

“Doesn’t he dress up as a Stormtrooper though?” Courtney countered, lathering up sunscreen on her arms. “That’s armor, babes.”

“Anakin was pretty hot before he turned into Vader,” Casey watched as Tyler fell into the water after a successful hit on Will’s side before letting her eyes wander back to Derek. His shades were down over his face, and he gave the impression he was looking directly at the silliness in the pool. But she saw his lips curl up in a private smile when her eyes fell on him, giving him away.

“Chris lemme back up,” Tyler demanded. Chris chuckled, giving him an assist as he clamored back up. 

“Are you not entertained!” Will roared, thumping his chest. Fiona rolled over again, giving an approved nod at the display.

“Give us a show,” she called out.

“HELLO!” Tyler shouted, trying to get Will’s attention again. “My name is Inigo Montoya!”

“I thought it was Tyler?” Sarah yelled playfully.

“You killed my father! Prepare to die!”

Will tried blocking a few noodle hits before succumbing, falling to the water and bringing Ethan with him. Derek and Tom cheered before starting a quick rock-papers-scissors to determine the next competitor against Tyler. Casey hoped it would be Derek; he tended to show off when he knew he had an audience (her) and it would be a great excuse to openly stare at his abs, every line of which she knew intimately.

She took a sip of water in an attempt to cool down and failed miserably when some of it spilled out and hit her chest. Casey brushed off the water hastily, ignoring the fact that Derek had noticed and was laughing at her expense. Ugh. 

“I love the Princess Bride,” Fiona stretched out her arms. “I always wanted to be Princess Buttercup when I was little.”

“I love that movie too,” Casey said before a distinctive text alert went off, putting an end to further conversation. 

“I GOT A TEXT!” Derek shouted a moment later, fumbling with his phone. Casey’s heart thudded. He sent her a brief smirk across the yard before looking back down to the device in his hand. He cleared his throat, then began to read. “Islanders, it’s time to pop the cork on your spiciest secrets in today’s challenge ‘A Lot of Bottle.’ #puckerup #secretsmooch.”

“Yes!” Sarah popped up off the daybed, tossing her hair back. “Let’s go, boys!” She blew them a kiss, winking. 

Casey locked eyes with Derek as they got gathered into a group by a producer. Secrets, huh? Whatever it was they had on them, she prayed to god it wouldn’t expose them knowing each other. She still needed to talk to him in private and sort out how he got to the villa, and it was preferable to do that before everyone found out about their, er, complicated history.

+

The producers had them run a few times towards where a giant bottle, roulette style mat, and chalk board that had been divided into two sections labelled Girls and Boys waited. The host stood there with a stack of cards in her hand, greeting them.

“Hi everyone,” the host said. “Welcome to the challenge. Today it’s boys vs girls. Each team will take a turn standing around the bottle,” she nodded towards the giant champagne bottle, “and spin the bottle. If the bottle lands on you, I will read a secret and you’ll then have to kiss the person on the opposite team you think the secret is about. Each correct guess is a point, and the winning team will get a special prize.”

Everyone cheered. Casey knew from watching the show that sometimes contestants used these challenges as a way to get more intimate with each other, either to cement their couple status or to test the waters and piss off their rivals. Based on the looks some of the girls were shooting the guys, and vice versa, she fully expected it to play out that way. 

The girls circled the bottle first as the boys stood in a line off to the side. Courtney spinned the bottle as the other girls giddily waited with baited breath. It landed on Fiona. 

“Fiona, kiss the boy you think once got caught having sex in a car,” the host read out as the boys started to whoop and holler and jostle each other. 

“Hmmm,” Fiona pretended to think it over for barely a second before prancing over to Will. She didn’t hesitate to press herself against him, giving a sound kiss while Jenna pointedly looked away. 

“You’re unfortunately wrong,” the host said, a gleeful smile on her face. “It was actually Ethan!”

“Most embarrassing moment of my life,” Ethan groaned as he got shoved around by the guys. “Her mom pulled up beside us.”

Fiona spun the bottle. It landed on Sarah, causing Casey to internally groan. The way Sarah was biting her lip in anticipation and giving Derek very loud come hither eyes made Casey want to jump off a cliff. 

“Sarah, kiss the boy who you think hooked up with his friend’s mom.”

Because Casey’s eyes were trained on Derek, she caught the frown on his face when Sarah skipped up to him, wrapping her arms around his torso and going right for the kiss. To his credit, Derek stepped away after a few seconds, cutting it short and discreetly wiping his lip.  
“No points yet for the girls, the right answer was Tom!” 

Tom shrugged, a huge sly smile on his face. 

The bottle spun again, landing on Courtney. She guessed the right boy, earning the girls a point for guessing correctly that Chris dated three models in the past year. Finally, after Jenna had a turn and got another point for the girls for kissing Tyler - who once moonlighted as a male dancer for bachelorette parties - the bottle landed on Casey. 

“Casey. This boy once almost got caught having sex in the locker room post-game by his coach,” the host read out. “He managed to hide her in the locker, throwing his gear over her when it didn’t close all the way. ”

Casey’s eyes widened. How the hell did they know about that?! The internal panic of _oh shit they know_ thankfully got misinterpreted for internal debating who to steal a kiss from. 

“Go on girl!” Courtney said encouragingly. “Get that kiss!”

Derek stood still as Casey slowly walked over to the line of guys, eyeing each of them. They each gave her a wink or a smile, except for Derek. He watched her, his face carefully neutral but his eyes sparking with the shared secret between them. She stopped in front of him as he tilted his head, waiting for her move. 

“It’s you,” Casey confidently said before standing on her tiptoes in order to reach his lips. Her hands automatically tangled into his hair as his own grabbed her hips, settling possessively and dangerously close to the curves of her backside. 

Dimly in the background, she could hear the whoops and hollers of the others, but the noise did little to distract from the way Derek’s tongue slipped in and battled for dominance with her own; the old song and dance between them came naturally, effortlessly, and she wondered why she thought she could possibly do this with anyone else. 

It occurred to Casey when they reluctantly pulled away a moment later that they were probably a bit too enthusiastic in kissing each other. Tom had a fake smile on his face, while Sarah was shooting daggers with her eyes. If looks could kill, Casey would be dead on the ground. 

“That’s a point for the girls!” The host said, the girls cheering good naturedly. Sarah slow clapped, refusing to congratulate Casey on the point. The girls’ final total to beat was four points when they switched with the boys. 

“This girl once injured her boyfriend during sex, then made him continue,” the host read out for Tyler. 

“Give nothing away, girls!” Courtney said as the boys briefly deliberated. They seemed to be going for a team strategy compared to the girls solo guessing efforts. 

Tyler strided over to Casey, giving her a quick peck on the lips. Casey’s cheeks burned as the boys gave each other high fives. Derek waggled his eyebrows in an infuriating manner, another secret between them hidden in plain view.

“That’s a point for the boys!” The host said, giving them a tally mark. 

“How did you manage that,” Courtney asked with genuine awe. “What on earth happened?”

“I hit him on the forehead accidentally with my foot while changing positions,” Casey answered, covering her face in mortification. “But I wasn’t finished yet, so…”

“I’m sure he didn’t mind the battle scar,” Derek suggestively called out, earning a glare from Tom and a wide eyed, _Der-ek!_ expression from Casey. 

“Chris, this girl lists having a classic porno voice as one of her hidden talents,” the host said, cracking a joke about it being the wrong sort of set for that. 

Chris went to Fiona, kissing her sweetly before taking a step back. Fiona shot Sarah a worried look. Casey thought it was well deserved karma, since she was still annoyed with the girl for kissing Derek earlier. She ignored the voice that told her that technically, Derek was the single one in the villa, not her.

“That’s a point for the boys again!” 

“Damn it, they’re doing much better at this than us already,” Courtney groaned. “I wanted that prize.”

“Babe, I am the prize!” Tyler shouted to laughter. 

A couple more turns went. The bottle spinned, landing on Derek. The score indicated that the boys were leading, meaning he could very well ignore the advice of the others and kiss who he wanted to. The producers wanted as much footage as possible so they could pick and choose what they aired, though when viewers watched at home it would appear the game ended as soon as the boys gained the lead. 

“This girl has her ex’s initials tattooed,” the host read; Derek knew it wasn’t her, she didn’t have any tattoos, though she very much admired the few he had covering his body. Still, he went straight over to her, ignoring the suggestions of Sarah and Courtney from the guys. He immediately bended down, capturing her lips with his and pulling her closer, his hands running up and down her spine. 

This kiss broke off far too quickly for Casey’s liking. She stopped herself from physically following him when he stepped away, giving him a pout. He grinned widely at that response, cockily shooting her a wink. 

“Incorrect guess, it’s actually Courtney!” 

Courtney shrugged. “Young and dumb. The initials are being covered up at some point.”

The game finally ended after that, the boys winning the prize of popsicles by the pool. Not the greatest of prizes the show offered, Casey thought. She’d be more upset to miss out on wine, or the spa treatment, or even the one where they got to leave the villa for a trip to the grocery store.

“That was juicy,” Courtney said, stretching out in the beanbag when the producers dismissed them. They were sitting together as Sarah got pulled for a Beach Hut interview, and while Fiona took the opportunity to flirt with Chris alone. Jenna sat at one of the day beds with Will, adamantly chatting about something. 

“Mhm,” Casey distractedly replied, her eyes on Derek and Tom across the yard. They were at the outdoor gym, lifting weights while sharing a conversation. It looked rather serious, a touch intense. A cameraman lingered near, his camera trained on them. 

Courtney followed her line of vision. “Ooh, I bet I know what they’re chatting about,” she sang teasingly. “I thought I needed to grab an extinguisher, you and Derek were literally about to catch on fire with those sparks between you.”

“There aren’t any sparks,” Casey automatically replied, the bullshit line sounding flimsy to her own ears. She could tell Courtney didn’t believe it. “No sparks at all.”

“Uh huh,” Courtney shook her head. “I don’t know why you’re lying to yourself. This is Love Island. We’re all here to find love. There’s no reason to feel loyal to Tom if that’s the issue. You barely know him.”

“I don’t know Derek,” Casey protested, lying through her teeth. God she knew him. She knew him so well. Too well, perhaps. But she didn’t know his feelings towards her, or so she continued to tell herself. A kiss was just a kiss. Sex just sex. Right?

“I wish I had chemistry like that with someone I didn’t know,” Courtney replied. “Tyler is fantastic, but we certainly don’t have the same off the wall fire like you and Derek have.”

Sarah reappeared just then, reluctantly sitting down on the beanbag beside them. “Casey, it’s your turn for the Beach Hut.”

“Oh, okay,” Casey grabbed her water bottle before jogging over to the villa’s back door. The beach hut was a small room deep inside the massive house, with a cushioned wicker loveseat in front of a wall of fake wood that was backlit with neon blue, and a cut out window that looked onto a poster of the beach. 

She sat down in the seat, grabbing one of the neon blue pillows to hold in her lap as she faced the camera. A screen separated her from the faceless producers on the other side. 

“Hi Casey,” a voice said, almost startling her. “We just want to chat with you about how your day is going, especially the challenge.”

“Alright,” she replied, squeezing the pillow. 

“You seemed really happy when you kissed Derek,” another voice began, going straight to the core. “You guys seem to really click with each other. Are you hoping to potentially couple up with him, if given the opportunity?” 

Uhhhhh.

“Derek is super attractive, I mean what girl wouldn’t want his attention?” Casey said, thinking over her words. “It would be really dumb to skip a chance with him, I think, so yeah, I would be pretty excited to couple up with him.”

Not a lie. Isn’t that why she decided to enter the villa? To get his attention? To keep his attention? 

(“You’ve always had his attention, Casey,” Emily’s words bounced around in her mind.)

“Do you think you’d rather be with him over Tom?”

“Tom is a really lovely guy. I mean he’s super cute, and wants to be a pediatric surgeon. It’s a dream package!”

“You didn’t answer the question,” the other voice wrly pointed out. “If you could be with Derek or Tom, who would it be?”

“Well, I only just met Tom…” Casey thought out loud, looking down at her pillow. “I would pick Derek. Definitely Derek.”

“You had quite the reaction to Sarah kissing him during the challenge today,” the same voice immediately moved on. “Are you worried she might be competition for his affection?”

“No,” Casey quickly said, huffing in a smug manner. “I’m not worried about Sarah at all.”

“You sound really confident,” the other voice observed. 

“The way Derek kissed me? The way he jumped away from her? Yeah, no, I don’t think there’s anything to worry there,” Casey smiled, hugging the pillow to herself. “But I don’t think she’s aware of that yet.”

+

The hot temperature of the day began to cool down after the islanders ate a late lunch. The producers sent them all to get ready for the planned evening festivities, warning them to dress their best. 

Casey showered off the sunscreen under cold water, rinsing her hair with vigor as she did breathing exercises. She loved a good cold shower, especially after spending most of the day out in the hot sun. It felt refreshing, and she stepped out into the communal bathroom in a good mood, a fluffy white towel tied around her loosely. 

“Hey Case,” Derek’s voice mischievously whispered in her ear, catching her by surprise. She jumped a foot in the air, clutching at her towel. 

“Der-ek,” she hissed, eyes wide as she searched the bathroom for the others who might be listening. She didn’t have her mic on, but he did so they still couldn’t speak full on yet. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” he said in a low tone, looking at her lips. “Just thinking about that kiss earlier.”

“Which one,” she asked, unconsciously pressing herself closer to his body. She noticed his hair was damp, the scent of his shampoo wafting around her nose. “We shared two, if you remember.”

He didn’t take the bait, instead hovering closer, walking her carefully back towards an empty shower stall until they were inside it. He took the shower caddy out of her hand, placing it out of the way and closing the stall door. The showers were frosted, colored glass, offering enough privacy to not be able to see someone’s body, but not offering enough to hide moving shadows. 

Derek took her to the far corner by the shower head, away from the frosted glass wall so that it would be harder for curious eyes to see two distinct figures together. 

“Derek,” Casey wordlessly mouthed. “What are you doing?” 

“You,” he breathed in her ear, placing a kiss on her neck. She tilted her head, giving him better access. His mouth got to work, alternating between light kisses and quick, sharp bites as he moved his way down to her collarbone. He sucked on her shoulder, using just the right amount of pressure to not leave a mark. 

Her towel fell to the tiled floor when he kissed the top of her breasts, leaving her completely exposed in front of him. Casey’s brain began to malfunction when he licked around her nipple before taking it in his mouth, grazing it with his teeth in the way he knew turned her on. She gripped his shoulders, the shock of the cold tile against her heated skin giving her a rush.

He bent down, kissing deliberately down and further down until his knees hit the cold tile, his warm eyes locked on her. She breathed shallowly, her hands still gripping his shoulders. She could not believe they were doing this so blatantly, in a frosted shower stall with an open ceiling to the rest of the communal bathroom. 

“You have to be quiet,” he playfully warned before his mouth was suddenly on her most intimate spot. 

“Mmmm,” Casey clasped a hand over her mouth as Derek’s tongue circled around her clit, her other one tangled tightly in his hair. She missed this.The way he eagerly licked her, sucking in at just the right tempo and driving her further to edge. One of her legs lifted, resting on his shoulder as he continued to eat her out. 

He changed up the rhythm, turning his tongue and hitting the spot that always got her, the one that he discovered early on in their trysts and continued to manipulate for her maximum pleasure. Casey moved her hips so that she got more friction, his hands preventing her from toppling over. 

She was so close. 

“Derrr,” she whispered, biting her lip hard. “I’m going, I’m gonna, oh my god,” her legs started to shake, but he didn’t let up, seeing her ride it out. Only when she took a breath to calm down did he pull away, kissing her inner thigh gently before standing up. 

His erection stood out in his boxers, but he didn’t make a move to take care of it, instead kissing her so that she could taste herself. She wanted to return the favor, her hand palming the hard outline pressing into her. He shuddered. 

“I’VE GOT A TEXT!” A voice echoed out from the bedroom. Shit. They could get caught by the others. 

Regretfully, he took a step away. “I need to, uh, cool down,” he whispered. “I’m going to shower,” he nodded towards the showerhead above them.

“Um, right,” Casey whispered back. “I’ll go clean up…” 

God, why did it feel so awkward now? 

Hastily, she grabbed her caddy, bolting out the shower stall and into a toilet one to take care of herself. She did so at a lightning fast pace, washing her hands and darting into the bedroom to grab the first dress she saw for the evening, a navy dress with thin straps and a built in push up bra. 

“Hey Casey, did you hear the text?” Courtney asked, her eyes taking in Casey’s flushed appearance as she sat down at the makeup table. She smirked knowingly. “Derek is picking a girl to couple up with.”

“Oh,” Casey said, aggressively tackling her face with moisturizers and a liquid foundation. She used some of the concealer to hide a red mark on her shoulder. 

“Yeah, you might want to also check your neck,” Courtney suggested, amused. 

“Shi-” Casey started, turning her head to see red marks dotting down her neck. She quickly concealed them. “Are they still visible?” 

“No, you’re good,” Courtney reassured her. “We’re expected down at the firepit as soon as possible, by the way.”

“Okay, I’ll do a more natural look,” Casey said, mostly to herself. From her brief stint in dance, she knew how to do a quick makeup look. She hurriedly put on some light eyeliner and mascara before a touch of clear lip gloss. She tied her hair back into a quick fishtail, deciding to let it continue to air dry.

It took about ten minutes before she went downstairs, heading to the firepit where most of the islanders were gathered. Derek apparently got the memo before her, because he was already sitting on the bench chatting with Chris and Ethan when she got there. 

He was wearing dark fitted trousers, the ones that he got for an internship and practically lived in the whole time, and a white button down smartly pushed up to his elbows, exposing the black ink of the daisy tattoo he got on a drunken whim during her first official week back in Canada after returning from New York.

As soon as she sat down, next to Tom as directed by a producer, Derek’s phone beeped with a text. Whoops. Were they waiting on her?

“I’ve got a text,” he said, looking at his phone. “Derek, it is time to couple up with a girl of your choice. Please stand in front of the firepit and announce your decision. #mrstealyagirl”

Derek slipped his phone back into his pocket, going to the designated spot in front of them. His eyes swept over everyone, landing on her. “Right, well, I first want to say that each of you are so great, and I want to thank you for immediately making me feel welcomed despite the fact I was a late arrival in the villa. It’s not easy standing here, knowing I’m about to break up a couple. But,” he paused, smiling to himself. “I know exactly who I want to be with, and I don’t for a second regret the fact I’m getting a chance to be with her, for real, inside the villa.”

Casey waited with a baited breath, aware that Tom was sitting rigidly beside her, and that Sarah was staring at Derek with a starry gaze. 

“This girl is gorgeous, and my type in every single way. That’s why I want to couple up with,” he flashed a dazzling smile. “Casey.”

The other islanders politely clapped as she stood up to join Derek in front of the firepit, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a quick kiss. He held her hand firmly, refusing to let go as they went to sit down together on the bench. 

Tom’s phone beep, signaling a text.

“I’ve got a text,” Tom announced, shooting Derek a dark look. “Tom, you are now single and at risk of being dumped from the villa. #getgrafting #dangerzone.”

“I’m so sorry,” Casey impulsively said, her hand tightening around Derek’s. 

“It’s fine, no hard feelings,” Tom told her curtly. “It’s the name of the game.” He abruptly stood up, heading to the bar. “Right, who else needs a drink after that?” 

“Come on, Case,” Derek stood up too, pulling her up with him. 

“Where are we going?” She asked, letting him lead her away from the islanders and inside the villa. “The party is outside!”

“Borr-ing,” he replied, leading her up the stairs and out to one of the small balconies the villa had. “This is way more romantic.”

“Romantic, huh?” She looked dubiously at the set up; anyone could look up and see them sitting there on the bench. 

“Uh, yeah, do you not see the incredible view?” He cocked his head, smirking. “It’s you by the way.”

She smacked his shoulder lightly. “Der-ek. That's too cheesy even for you.”

“Fine, it’s that,” he pointed to the lights twinkling in the distance below. “Not you. Happy?”  


“Very,” she replied. They sat together in silence, looking at the view. Below them on the patio music played and laughter could be heard as the islanders chatted and enjoyed the night. 

“We need to talk, you know,” Derek told her after a few minutes. “About why we’re both here.” To someone listening in like the audience or a producer, his comment would sound like a conversation starter centering around why they were single and applied for the show. 

But Casey knew what he actually meant. He wanted to know why she came on the show without telling him. She could tell it bothered him, despite the fact he kissed her happily, and despite the whole incident in the shower between them earlier. And he was absolutely correct. They did need to talk, if they had any hope of making it in the villa and outside.

“You’re right,” she said, looking at him. Vulnerability shined clearly through his eyes, and it hurt her to realize she was the cause of the massive hurt he might have been dealing with. “We owe each other that.” _I owe you that._

He nodded, squeezing her hand. 

“Casey and Derek to the Beach Hut,” a voice over the loudspeaker rang out suddenly through the property. 

“We’re being summoned,” Derek sighed. “So much for my grand romantic plan of gossiping about the other islanders and shit talking Tom.”

“What, no kissing?”

“Oh, there would have definitely been kissing,” he replied, tugging her up back. “But that can always come later.”

“If you’re lucky,” she snorted, following him back into the villa once again. 

“I’m always lucky,” he confidently said. “And right now I’m the luckiest guy in this villa.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry to be a tease! Stay tuned for day one of DASEY: Love Island!


End file.
